Tuesday, June 30, 2009

So I get to work, I'm a little rough around the edges... it was a big weekend what can I say. Although as one lady from work pointed out every weekend for me is a big weekend, but this one was definitely a bigger one ;o)

In any case I'm gathering my crap together to get out of the car and in to work, I pick up my coffee in a Timmy's to-go cup and promptly drop it upside down on my crotch.

Seriously.

Now amazingly that flimsy plastic lid that occasionally leaks when you are drinking out of it DID NOT fall off, and I DID NOT end up with scalding hot coffee all over my girlie goodies. I got a couple drops of coffee on my pants, and a couple more on the seat... even though I nearly had to change my panties from what I was expecting the outcome to be. This I can deal with.

Seriously though, if it had happened... the way that it statistically should have, I would have closed my door, driven back home and gone back to bed.

Monday, June 29, 2009

9:15 am Monday morning - the weekend shenanagins have taken their toll, we scrape together enough girls and make it through with more confidence than we show on the scoresheet. We've got three girls filling in for the two we lost to the other team they were also playing on. We missed them. Lots. Someone was smiling on us though, and their other team lost leaving them free to come play in the finals with us *happy dance*.

So while we were waiting for the final game, we hung out in the beer gardens, Glen bought a round for striking out, and we watched and then partook in the festivities that had not quite died yet. LOL

There was a race... involving two people as a team, you each had to throw a ball through a hole with the wrong hand, then you had to hold a beach ball belly to belly walk it to the end, then roll and get it back to back and walk back... spin around a bat with your forehead on it three times, and then run the bases while holding a tray with three cans full of water on it.

There were leftover bits and pieces being handed out, bouncy baseballs, beachballs, aspenware (wooden spoons and knives) etc. we played volleyball with the beachball and gave out "style points" anytime someone looked like a ballerina and missed!

We started a volleyball game in under the tent using the tent wires as the net, that went on for quite awhile, we had almost the whole tent involved, making up rules and holding their breath until that ball hit the ground... or someone's beer... or head.

Our team was into the condom filling contest like a fat kid on a dirty smarty, the mission was to fill it with the most water without breaking. We pre-stretched and double wrapped ours, the outside one broke but the inside one held and we were champions in the beer garden again! Winning NSA prizes from a grab box of our choice :D

I think the best part of this contest though, was having my Aunt who volunteered for the weekend call my cell and say "Was that your team? Scoregasm? That just won the condom filling contest?!?!" and upon confirmation say "I'm so proud!" lol I know it was a couple times this weekend that she said "Yep that's my niece!"

My official comment on the last game is as follows: "That is NOT my shoe"

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Sunday started off a little rough, we'd walked up to my Aunt and Uncles the night before so again I had to find a way to get up to my car that had been parked up at the ball fields. Called up coach, told him where I was, described directions... redescribed directions... described them one more time and started to wonder if I was incoherent or he just wasn't processing anything.

Finally got sorted out and realized I didn't actually know where I was and had given him the wrong street. Got that sorted and made it to the diamonds on time. We won our game, but it was tight due to it being tied because of a run that came in on a double play that we didn't realize counted when the batter passed the girl that started running on second!

Headed up to the beer gardens, changed and came in near the end of the "Stupid Human Trick" contest... I ran into my ex-roomie and another team member and they say "You gotta do your elbow thing!" well I didn't think that I could get into as they sounded almost done, they said don't worry we'll get you in! And start yelling "Hey there's one more!"

So the DJ calls me up, gets my name... and asks how I learned I could do this trick... I respond "I might have been drunk once..." everybody chuckles. Now it's time for me to do my trick, I step out, dislocate and spin my arm at the elbow like a windmill and the entire crowd reaction is "AHHHHHHhhhhhh gross" according to multiple reliable sources, there were guys in the crowd that looked a little green around the gills and ready to puke.

Needless to say I won, I'm sure my mother would be so proud... in fact I know she is. But who knew that at the age of 10 when I saw an old guy do it, and decided that I *had* to learn how to do it too it would come in handy as more than just a drunk party trick... but as a drunk party trick that would win stuff! The haul of swag included two budweiser t-shirts, a lantern and a gift certificate to Silverstar paintball... not bad not bad at all ;o)

The rest of the day continued, we pulled up a table and low and behold there were some people not of our team sitting there also. Assuming that my team had just sat down and not necessarily introduced themselves I made some new best friends. Well we hung out for a bit, met another one of their buddy's Brad... we got into a wrestling match over something that eludes me, I got pinned and then pulled the best unpin move evar. I gave him a wedgie. And not just any wedgie, one that made him stand up... that allowed me to stand up and parade him around holding only his panties. His buddy's just about died, I laughed pretty hard, and then gave him my phone number because well giving your new best friend a wedgie like that is just dirty pool LOL.

The day faded to night, and we danced... I stopped drinking around 8 and went home to bed around 1:30am...

Saturday, June 27, 2009

So I wake up Saturday and realize that I need to get back to my car which was abandoned at the DND field due to my being illegally impaired. Luckily my best friend's sister had just gotten off work and was able to help me out.

Surprisingly enough I didn't feel the overhang and was quite happy with that, everything was going great until immediately after our game... when my body decided that the lack of breakfast and obviously insufficient amounts of water it was going on strike. I picked up my car and headed over to my Aunt and Uncle's to do laundry...

That all turned into a nap followed by "oh shit I have to put laundry on" followed by a nap... followed by the flipping of the laundry and a shower to a PB&J sandwich washed down with copious amounts of water. After all that I started to feel like *and* resemble a normal human being again... just in time for our team BBQ!

The team BBQ is a tradition that started back in days of yore where everyone brings some meat and sea food and something else to share and we feast until we can't feast anymore.

After the BBQ we headed up to the beer gardens... along the way we lost a crackberry... turned around did the search pattern and turned up a backplate and the outside cover... *ass*

Proceeded back to the beer gardens and danced all night. They even sold doughnuts in a bucket up there! We got as close as we could to the front of the stage (mosh-pitt central) and ran into hardly anyone I knew. Which was strange after Friday running into a tonne of people.

Friday, June 26, 2009

One ball game, shortly after work... I was almost late, the backups were slow so Mr. I-know-what-I'm-doing says "Just leave it, there are only two jobs left it should be done by 4...

So I leave it... check it at 4 and it is still running, with 2% left and an estimated time of 4:20 completion *hehe* so I think hey no big deal I didn't have time to go home before my game anyways I'll just let it run it's course... at 4:30 I cancelled the remaining jobs as they were still running, ran the cleaning tape and did the swap. Sent a frustrated email to the Superhero who usually takes care of backups and expressed my severe displeasure with the ineptitude of the one who doesn't normally do backups saying "It should be done by 4..."

Nonetheless made it to our game just in time.

Funny for the day: So Mr. Baseball gets up to bat (you know the guy with the middle age belly and baseball pants on from when he used to play peewee) and cranks a pop fly foul... well Randy goes burning over towards it... and the slough... you can almost see where this is going ;o) Now to clarify we can't hear this Ump in outfield so we haven't heard the foul call yet... everyone else on the team is yelling "NOOOOO" and I'm yelling "DIIIIIVEEEE" *hehe*

It was just like a cartoon, Randy was running towards the ball and then all of a sudden he was gone in the tall grass and pricker bushes, and just like that a bird flew out LOL I couldn't even run over at full speed to see if he was okay I was too busy laughing BWAAAAA HAHAHAHAHH HAHAHAHAH

Needless to say he was alright, he managed not to impale himself on anything... although he did lose his sunglasses *shrugs* the guy popped up again and he made a spectacular dive catch for it.

Friday night started out as "I'll just have a couple of beers" and ended with my Aunt giving me a ride home and saying "You sound like you're concentrating really hard on the road" which truth be told I was.

Somewhere in between I ended up with a white tank top and a pile of Mardi gras beads and glow necklaces... I vaguely remember Randy and I on a mission to collect more beads than my two ex-roommates, and Randy going up to guys saying "So we're playing a little game... her boobs for your beads"

So we were having a 'get semi-organized for next year' Cub meeting... and our treasurer had a little zippy bag with a GPS and it's manual.

One thing led to another, and he commented "I don't even know how to turn the damn thing on"... which of course I offered my expertise to show him that much, at which point he asked what I was doing Thursday night?

Well... it was one of those situations where I didn't have any good reason *not* to help out, and teach a bunch of Ventures how to use a GPS ;o) Which is why I carried around a zippy bag containing a GPS and it's manual for the last three days, flipping through it any time I had the chance.

So yesterday we attempted to set up a course in his backyard, and discovered that the compasses were out by quite a bit. We tested them in the soccer field across the way and they were a little better...

The best part was that I can just imagine what the neighbours thought... nobody actually said anything to us about tromping around Dave's yard, leaving... coming back and tromping around again.

Following up with more manual reading, and Google we discovered that the two GPS's we were using do not actually contain a compass.... they try to guess your bearing/heading based on your movement as detected by satellites. Awesome. So it's a GPS with a compass page that does not actually have a compass in it? As one forum user so aptly put it "What were they smoking when they came up with this idea?!?"

Don't ask me why we don't talk anymore and tell me "Because that's not like us". I've called and left messages to the point of being that weird guy you have to give your number to for something else who never stops calling. Hell I've even talked to you in the middle of something and you've said "Hey I'm in the middle of something let me call you back"... not a problem. Only you never call back.

I don't think there is any way to say this that doesn't make me sound bitter, but we don't talk anymore because you have more important things in your life than me right now. I know you're happy, and I'm glad for that, I would never wish it otherwise. But I miss you.

There are some people you can decide, hey I don't need you in my life, do what you gotta do if we have a chance to hang out and spend time together great, if not maybe next time. Some people though, you don't consciously get to make that choice... because at the end of the day they're the person you want to talk to.

When you get a 9 cent raise at work, or have a great one night stand, or you try something new that you've never tried before that really isn't a big deal, or you get up and give a speech... but it's something they understand about you, they're the only person that will already know where you've come from to get this far.

The worst of it is, I can't get mad at anyone... this isn't anyone's fault, things change, people grow together, people grow apart, some people change. Getting mad at them doesn't fix it, it just makes me feel guilty for getting mad at them. And really, no matter how ambivalent my feelings are, when they finally get ahold of me they're still someone I want to talk to.

And just so you know that

"When you think of me out of the blue, it's all those hugs and kisses finally catching up with you."

So the first awesomest out would have to be the time I slid headfirst into third base for the first time ever in real game play. It was close, the throw to third was perfect, and I was definitely out, and my team didn't mind at all. They all thought it was the coolest thing evar!

This weekend marks the second awesomest time I got out. I rounded first, short had the ball and my legs slid a little further than intended on the stop. He threw the ball to first and I took off, I had to... looking... nobody on second! The ball came back, wobbly as I expected, the chick on first isn't actually expected to be able to throw well, just catch ;o) So I'm trying to run around Mr. Baseball and right beside me I'm watching him bobble the ball... I'm almost close enough. I dive. I feel the tag in mid-air and it gives me a rotation I didn't start with, I roll, I land, roll, grab the corner of second on my way by and I'm out. I was hoping that he didn't actually have the ball when I felt the tag, but somehow he did.

We were both so dusty and covered in ball dirt. The play earned me minor road rash on my left elbow and thigh, as well as a beautiful bruise on my hip. It was awesome, I would totally do it again if I had the chance, the only thing that would have made it better would have been if I was safe ;o)

Thursday, June 18, 2009

8GB of motivational music coming up, along with a running playlist... no don't worry Dad I won't run with both earphones in so I don't get hit by the car that I don't hear.

I'm very glad that our IT guy was on hand to help get everything installed, it involved a registry hack but that is possibly just because of the way our network is set up.

I'm a little disappointed in the sharing feature, it limits how many times you can listen to a song that someone sent you to 3, and the count seems to be a little off eg: you can't pause and resume it counts that as twice. But the podcast feature is pretty cool, and sending pictures back and forth rocks. Bascially you only have to be near the person rather than physically hooked up.

Currently I'm sorting through the 20,000 odd songs on our music server wheeee I've found some old gooders that I forgot about ;o)

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

So I biked to work and home again yesterday, after the boob/ribcage incident... and I don't think my body liked that very much. In fact my body yelled at me loud and clear "I don't fuckin' think so!" and promptly put me to bed at 7pm like a petulant child.

I find myself today trying to decide if my ribcage muscles are just bruised or if I managed to do some structural damage. That one's for you Dad. But there is definitely some slight breathing discomfort. It might just be my body telling me to stop thinking about training for a half marathon in September... nahhhh ;o)

I think my body has formed a union... because any time I do something even remotely stupid it goes on strike and puts me to bed early. Its at those times that I realize how little control I have other than the knowledge that my body can do more than I think it can... until it decides that we're done.

Which reminds me of a great quote my aunt has for when you are going away/out for the weekend:

Monday, June 15, 2009

It was a big weekend this weekend, and I realize that most of my weekends are big weekends... but this was an all over body workout big weekend.

It started out with the Cub wrap up, involving a bouncy castle a backyard water bladder pool, fake tatoos and a "pudding drop" contest. The kids' favourite game in the pool was whoever gets dunked last wins, at one point I think I had four kids hanging off of me trying to dunk me. I laughed so hard all day I'm surprised I didn't almsot drown. It was one of those days surrounded by friends and sharing beautiful weather that is good for your soul. It continued after all the kids went home into an adult wrap up party with a few beers and an ongoing game of soccer hacky sack, some karaoke and some backyard wrestling.

The next day was relatively slow, the muscles between my ribs hurt all the way up past my sternum, I had multiple stages of bruising all around my neck and shoulders... everything was stiff and sore. We took in the Star Trek matinee, and had a nice BBQ for dinner. Upon which point I headed out to ball.

So of course we had two back to back games last night, I had my ball gear minus the stuff I usually wear (luckily I had spare socks) and the shorts I wore from the night before... so we're already taking it a little easy.

Well early off in the game there's a short pop that I decided I would just be able to catch if I dove... into the dive... ball in the glove... ball out of the glove off my lip and gone and oh. my. god. I. can't. breath. stop. relax... concentrate on breathing... slowly... okay I can talk again... phew... nothing seems to be broken... yeah I'm okay... put me in coach I'm ready to play!

The consensus was that I dove left hand out, then tried to roll right... landed with my right arm under my boob and landed uuber hard in an attempt to affix it permanently to my spine. Luckily for me that didn't work as I would have had one boob much smaller than the other, and I think that as close as possible big or small they should at least be relatively symmetrical. One of my teammates was kind enough to offer to help pump it up again, although I pointed out they weren't like Jordan shoes, upon which the team vote was that my boobs must be real otherwise it would have popped for sure. Lol.

When someone can find and hold on to humour in the face of a loved one passing away, that's a beautiful thing. I want to be able to remember the things about someone that I loved, and the time I did get to share with them rather than the time I will no longer have with them. It is like a clearing of the personal schedule, that time has now been made available for someone else.

My friends mother passed away just this weekend, and she still jokes about when her and her Dad moved her into the home which was still fairly recently. She was 97 years old and an alcoholic. I think if you make it to that age, you've bloodly well earned the right to be an alcoholic. Her grocery bill when living at home was about $35 a week compared to her booze bill which was $130.

She was born the year before the Titanic sank which in itself should give you some indication of the stubbornness and sheer will to make things happen. She came from a time when pioneers created the world we live in today, they made something out of nothing and not only survived but flourished leaving their children a world full of opportunity.

One of the rules of the home she was moved into was no booze in the room. Well one of the big jokes was she gave K w/a K's Dad a shopping list that consisted of:

Cheesies

Chips

Bottle of Gin

Bottle of Rye

Bottle of Vodka

He showed it to the ladies running the home on the way out and they all laughed. She maintained she could just "hide it under her bed"... but as they pointed out the cleaning lady would find it, "well then I'll hide it under my pillow" was the response.

The biggest joke we had though, was after she threatened to buy a one way ticket to PEI where presumably one of her cousins would buy her booze... She had started with $20 and then someone had given her $70 more... and we could just see her calling up the cab company and saying in her Grandma voice

"Hello is this the cab company? I've got $90, bring me as much booze as you can... and pretend you're my son. If you can get in here without letting anyone see that you have booze the $90 is yours!"

So this weekend we raised a vodka jello shooter in honour of grandma. Cheers may she enjoy Happy Hour 24hrs a day from now on.

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Sometimes I believe one of the things I'm supposed to do in this life, is simply to make things easier for other people. Often times its not hard to do, I learned a lot about this in Girl Guides. Making things easier for someone can be as easy as rearranging your already full arms so that you have a free hand to grab that one extra thing they haven't figured out how to carry.... to as difficult listening whether you agree with their point of view or not, or being there for them when you'd rather be anywhere else.

Now I know that my mother has a much more Darwinistic approach to this, if it does not directly benefit you then why bother? I have found however that these small gestures have come back tenfold when I least expected it.

In the spirit of this I'd just like to say, if there is someone that I'm here for be it spending time or listening to them, and it's giving you an aneurysm then too damn bad. I say this only because I don't know it all, and I'm doing the best I can with what I have to work with, and if you don't like it well get over it. I know that every argument goes both ways, and that you aren't necessarily right or wrong. That generally there are offences committed on both sides. But I'm really not here to make your life worse, but as far as I can tell I'm making theirs a little bit better, and that's really all I'm going for.

Monday, June 08, 2009

These past four days I have been honoured to share with a friend of mine who just completed the gruelling four years of a Medical Degree.

There was a breakfast, with much congratulations to the grads, and then the actual ceremony which was very well done. The speakers were all excellent, and I was almost chagrined at how nice it was until I remembered that this degree was four years *on top* of an existing degree (in most cases).

There was a BBQ with her incredibly cute cousin who repeated everything he heard - I must apologize to his mother, as although I was on my best behaviour I'm sure he picked up a few things he wouldn't otherwise... like picking up blocks with his toes *evil grin*

There was a grad banquet which was amazing, the catering staff did a wonderful job and the meals were beautiful! I have pictures of the salad and dessert, I almost didn't want to eat them. *Almost*

There were the requisite number of speeches and congratulatory remarks, and thanks. Of all the people who went through the motions though there were two who stood out. The first had a very heart felt speech that was so incredibly true it was beautiful. It may have been the disclaimer that the remaining speech would be from bulleted points because every time she'd tried to write it she'd been unable to finish, or the humour that showed through in the strength of her voice even as it threatened to crack. But her speech in particular struck a chord with my view from the outside of medical school and the effort that goes into it, and the support required from so many sources to get through it.

The other speaker, well she was more or less hosting the entire evening and I think that her simple thank you to the people who supported the grads said it the best. "There are almost 600 people here at this banquet tonight... and yet there are only 125 grads." She thanked all the people who had supported the graduates they were celebrating tonight. But I think that she said it so simply, like look around you... 5 out of 6 people at your table helped a grad in some way get to where they are today. I would like to say though, thank you for allowing me to be a part of your four days of ensuing celebration, and I'm honoured that you tolerate my uneducated questions long enough to answer them and reeducate me in things that are as obvious as breathing and eating to you now. I hope that our friendship remains this way forever.

There was the ensuing celebration, with much dancing and her fiance finally getting me back for the time he didn't remember paying for the cab ride home... yes, I paid for the cab ride, no I have no idea how he even had my wallet in the first place... I'm glad I have friends who make sure I get home safely though or as it was once pointed out by a friend of mine I would totally be woken up in a ditch somewhere by a stray cow.

During the course of the last four days, it was also noted in passing conversation that 70% of what I say is incorrect or never happened that way. Which I must admit caught me a little off guard and I was quite taken aback by, until I realized the context in which it is entirely true. Often times, when repeating a story where the person it happened to, or the location in which it happened had no significance to me when I heard it, it is no sooner heard than disregarded and forgotten. Henceforth anytime that I relate the story it is most definitely missing what some would consider to be key pieces of information. I have decided that I'm okay with this, and will proceed to relate non relevant information like this in the future.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

My Aunt, having just got out of the shower was interrupted one morning by a knock on the door, knowing it was someone trying to redirect her religious beliefs, she swung open the door wearing only a towel and a smile and said in her best peaches and cream voice

"I'm really sorry we're busy having an orgy right now and it's my turn with the hot oil"

I would much rather spend an evening that someone happens to have available to spend with me, than do just about anything else. Even if I have things that I have to get done. Especially when they make me rhubarb squares with whip cream *drooling*

Hence the reason I will be packing my carry-on for a weekend in Edmonton after work today in the two hours before I leave for my flight. It's okay though, with the number of things you can't take and the decreasing size restrictions, I'm sure you will soon only be allowed to take what you are wearing and a credit card.

Haha unless they come out with nude airlines "Bring yourself and your credit card, we'll take care of the rest", it would certainly make security much quicker... and then they could move all cargo so the seats should be wayyy cheaper!

So true to my Dad's travelling advice, pack what you think you will need and take a credit card. You should be able to buy anything that you need/have forgotten when you get there.

Tuesday, June 02, 2009

Scientifically or not, nothing else accounts for the racing heart and funny feeling that confirms you're right before you actually know you are, or the sweaty palms because you're so sure but what if you're wrong? and how could you possibly know anyways!?!

It's the same thing happening at different times with a recurring theme. I was just thinking of you and then you texted me... or the "No way!" I was just thinking of YOU and how crazy it would be if you were here, and then thought nah... but here you are.

Or the time that I called, got a click like you picked up and hung up on me (whatever!)... redialed, got a busy signal, and then promptly hung up and my phone rang and it was you calling. Weird. What was even weirder, was that I was calling to see if you wanted Timmy's and you were calling to beg me to pick you some up.

Or the time that you were supposed to be in Kelowna around the same time, but don't have a cell phone and I got a funny feeling when I drove by... walked into a store and there you were, like we were in a small town and it was the only place you could have been.

Or the time I phoned and nobody knew where you were, so I phoned your cell and the first thing you said was "How did you know I needed to talk to you?" and the only answer I had "I just thought of you" fell miles short of the feeling I had when I thought that for some reason I needed to call... nothing tangible... just that I should.

Or the time that you walked in the door and said "Hey!" and we made eye contact and I knew without a hint of doubt that we were going to have so much fun that summer.

I believe there are people who we get along with, share common interests and values with, and there are people who we connect with... as though they are a kindred spirit we lost on some previous adventure, someone who we didn't realize was missing until we found them again. Somewhat like a bad case of amnesia that isn't cured until that moment when we meet again.

When that happens its like a door opens to an entirely new canvas yet to be painted, that can only be done together. Somehow that person gives you new motivation, shares skills with you or encourages you to look at yourself in a new light. Each of these meetings blend together into "you".

While I'll never be the person I thought I wanted to be when I was little, I can't take full responsibility for the person that I have become. Although I made choices about who I hung out with, and the characteristics I like, I've had seemingly little control over the traits and mannerisms I've picked up. So when people jokingly say I turned out okay, I'd like to say it's thanks to the people around me ;o)

Two ball games followed by a massive 7 person wrestling match in the dark in the back yard later... which I'm sure the neighbours thought we were having a big wild monkey orgy followed by two more ball games...

Well... I'm bruised, I'm scraped, some of my muscles are sore and some of them are downright stiff but I had a great weekend.

But, I learned that sometimes stiff muscles are what remind us we're still alive in a way that sitting at your desk with your feet up on your computer tower just can't.

This weekend reminded me that there is such a thing as too fast, and that looking up at a blanket of stars with friends not only reminds you how small and insignificant you are, but how lucky you are that somehow they found you.

It also reminded me that I love nothing more than saying "Wanna see what *I* did this weekend" followed by showing off scrapes and bruises... because in a way it's the proof that I actually did something.

I also learned that offering a hand to a friend, is no guarantee they will take it, but neither does it mean they have refused your help. I think it is best said by Epicurus "It is not so much our friends' help that helps us, as the confident knowledge that they will help us."